EPA moves toward allowing sale of new weed killer

A new herbicide is moving closer toward federal approval although environmentalists are afraid it will contribute to the development of a strain of more chemically resistant weeds. Facebook photo

MILWAUKEE — A new herbicide that environmentalists fear will contribute to the development of so-called superweeds is moving closer to federal approval.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday that it is seeking comments on proposal to register the herbicide known as Enlist Duo. Registration would allow Dow AgroSciences to sell the chemical.

Dow AgroSciences also is seeking federal approval of corn and soybean seeds engineered to resist the common weed killers glyphosate and 2, 4-D.

Enlist Duo contains those two chemicals, and farmers would be able to use it on corn and soybean fields.

The EPA says Enlist Duo provides a way to control glyphosate-resistant weeds, but environmentalists fear greater use of the common herbicide 2, 4-D will lead weeds to develop resistance to it as well.